The NHL offseason lingers as teams wait on key restricted free agents, with Mason McTavish at the center of the swirl. Luke Hughes and Marco Rossi remain unsigned, keeping their clubs wary of optics and cap implications. Anaheim’s patience is tested as McTavish’s role under Pat Verbeek’s system remains in flux, fueling trade chatter despite the Ducks’ stated playoff goals. A cluster of destinations—Detroit, Carolina, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Philadelphia, and even Pittsburgh—are floated as viable fits, each with its own price tag and strategic upside. The conversation centers on McTavish as a potential 2C and whether Anaheim should cash in now or hold for the right return.

Across the league, teams weigh how to navigate center depth behind McTavish, while rivals eye the Ducks’ leverage with a premium. The piece also threads in related unsigned RFAs and notable roster moves, highlighting how one marquee trade could realign conferences and fantasy values alike. Until signings land and training camps open, the market circling McTavish will shape both real-world outcomes and fantasy projections for the coming season.

Quiet offseason lull persists as RFAs linger and extensions loom, with signs of movement only as training camp approaches. Mason McTavish, Marco Rossi, and Luke Hughes remain unsigned, while Kirill Kaprizov and Connor McDavid sit at the top of extension watch lists. Brady Tkachuk’s long‑term stay with Ottawa anchors fantasy lineups, keeping top‑line production and power‑play time in focus. Montreal’s Carey Price and Boston’s goaltending situation add goaltending intrigue, underscoring the need to monitor creases and workload shifts. As August fades, the pace should pick up, but fantasy managers must track signings that could reshape lines, minutes, and usage.

The discussion tracks the broader league mood: teams balancing cap space, camp rosters, and the ever‑present risk of injuries if signings miss time. Expect bridge deals and late‑summer negotiations to ramp up, with extended timelines possibly affecting depth chart clarity. For fantasy players, the core takeaway is to watch RFAs and marquee extensions closely, as these moves drive role certainty, power‑play exposure, and potential shifts in goaltending responsibilities ahead of a fresh season.

Dustin Wolf’s contract extension talks with Calgary are ongoing; both sides indicate progress and a mutual desire to stay together, with a deal likely soon after consensus is reached. The Flames’ stance is to keep Wolf in the fold as a key part of their present and future goaltending plan.

Beyond Wolf, the piece maps a group of notable RFAs with clean paths to next-level deals: Marco Rossi, Luke Hughes, Mason McTavish, and Connor Zary are highlighted as top targets, with comps drawn from Cole Perfetti and Brock Faber to illustrate bridge vs. long-term payoff. The discussion also flags Alexander Holtz, Wyatt Kaiser, and Luke Evangelista as players whose upcoming contracts could reshape their teams’ cost structures and timelines, with teams like Minnesota, New Jersey, Anaheim, and Vegas weighing cap space and fit.

With the rumor mill noting Holtz turning down a qualifying offer and Trotz/Conroy weighing longer terms vs. shorter bridges, the league’s contract landscape suggests a decisive stretch ahead for both players and teams—a dynamic that fantasy managers should monitor as these deals crystallize and impact ice time, roles, and upside.